In an emergency, every second matters.
That is why police and city officials launched a public education campaign today about "making the right call" when it comes to whether or not you need to dial 911.
“The Make the Right Call campaign is an important step toward reducing wait times and improving response times at our 911 Call Centre," Toronto's Deputy Chief of Police Lauren Pogue said in a release.
The city said 911 calls were up last month compared to the monthly average — from more than 100,000 to more than 103,000. Many of these calls should never have been made to 911, officials say.
The city said common scenarios that take up critical moments for 911 emergency operators and delay service dispatch include non-emergency complaints, callers who hang up and call back repeatedly in hopes of getting further in the queue, and accidental and pocket dials.
"Every type of issue requires a unique response to accommodate the needs of residents, and knowing the differences between 911, 311, 211 and the Toronto Police non-emergency line is crucial when seconds matter," the city said.
Toronto residents were asked to follow these guidelines and understand how each service is different:
- 911 should only be used for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required, including but not limited to when someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy, or a crime is in progress.
- The Toronto Police non-emergency line at 416-808-2222 is for connecting with non-emergency police services, personnel and programs. For example, someone involved in a car accident with no injuries should dial the non-emergency line.
- 311 provides Toronto residents, businesses and visitors with easy access to non-emergency city services, programs and information. Non-emergency services include noise complaints, garbage pickup, tree maintenance and more.
- 211 provides referrals to community and social services, including Toronto's new city-wide Toronto Community Crisis Service, as well as connections to free mental health wellness checks and mental health supports.
The public education campaign will feature transit shelter, grassroots, radio, social media and digital components and is available ten languages including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Tamil, Hindi, Farsi, Chinese-simplified, Chinese-traditional and Tagalog, the city said.
“From 211, which provides vital mental health supports to people facing a crisis, to 911 when you need the help of our first responders, and 311 when you need help with city services, Torontonians can rely on our emergency and non-emergency services to help them when they need it most," Mayor Olivia Chow said. "Make the right call, get the right help. We’re here for you.”
More information on how to use emergency and non-emergency services can be found on the city’s website at www.toronto.ca/make-the-right-call and the Toronto Police website at www.tps.ca/contact/make-the-right-call/.
